Kayaking Safety - The EssentialsWatch this short video to learn how youcan insure that your paddling experiencewill be relatively safe for all involved.Training Canoe Newbies Over the years, Cliff Jacobson has formed afew tests to get new canoeists ready to run whitewater rivers. Read all about them.

As far as playful vs touring, in my head I'm looking at it the way I approach snowboarding. Some like going fast. Some like trick courses and halfpipes. I like neither, I like going on intermediate runs or whatever level the group of people I'm with is at. I like enjoying the ride, and the moment I see a jump on the side of the trail I'm on it. Same goes if I see a quick run into the woods, or a place to explore. Therefore my board is neither hard for speed, or super soft for tricks. It's right down the middle. Plenty of speed, but handles beautifully the moment I want to have some fun.

That's what I want out of my first boat. I want to be able to travel with a pack of kayakers, as well as be able to take enough equipment for short camping trips. However, the moment I get the chance to play in some surf (once I learn enough skills of course) or some small ww patches, I want to know my boat can handle it and it'll be a great time. I don't want to get stuck with a boat that can do only one of those two thing beautifully. I want to find one that might not be the best at either, but as good a crossover as possible. We'll also see what my butt tells me once I sit in a couple of options.